Most Washoe County offices will be closed Monday, January 21, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, including Administrative offices, Social Services, Libraries, Courts, Attorney's Office, Washoe County Sheriff's Office, Regional Animal Services and Health District. The County Clerk at the Washoe County Complex on Ninth St. and Wells Ave., in Reno will remain open throughout the holiday from 8 a.m. to midnight for the issuance of marriage licenses, fictitious firm names and notary bond filings, as well as property tax payments for the Treasurer’s Office.

Asbestos FAQs

What is an “Acknowledgment of Asbestos Assessment”?

The Washoe County District Board of Health Regulations Governing Air Quality Management (District Regs) 030.107 A requires asbestos sampling be performed and an Acknowledgment of Asbestos Assessment (AAA Form, formerly the Pink Slip) be obtained prior to the issuance of a building permit within the Health District’s jurisdiction. This is the form that is issued to take to the building department (Reno, Sparks, or Washoe County) to receive a building permit. The AAA Form will only be issued after the AQMD has verified the scope of work to be done i.e. your tenant improvement, renovation or demolition has had adequate asbestos sampling, if required. Here is the link to the application form Acknowledgement of Asbestos Assessment.

Note: we are no longer calling this the “pink slip” because the applicant may be printing off the assessment out of Accela One and not have pink paper.

What types of projects do the asbestos regulations apply to?

The Air Quality Management Division (AQMD) of the Washoe County Health District has been delegated the authority to implement the U.S. EPA regulations governing asbestos, specifically 40 CFR 61 Subpart M (National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, NESHAP). These federal asbestos rules apply to all demolition and/or renovation activities at all commercial facilities and multi-family residential properties with 5 or more dwelling units deemed a “facility” per Subpart M regardless of date of construction. The regulations also apply to single family residences when they will be completely demolished to the ground. An Acknowledgement of Asbestos Assessment (AAA Form) must be obtained from AQMD prior to the issuance of a building permit for any applicable project.

When is asbestos sampling required?

Asbestos sampling is required if the scope of work includes the disturbance or removal of any suspect asbestos containing materials greater than 20 square feet (roughly the size of a standard door way), which may include wall systems, flooring, thermal system insulation (TSI), transite materials, roofing materials and structural concrete. The asbestos consultant will go over the scope of the project and sample all suspect materials. AQMD will only recognize asbestos sampling performed by an AHERA certified asbestos consultant. Link to AHERA certified asbestos consultant list and Asbestos Consultants and Testing Firms.

Why does a new building have to be sampled for asbestos?

On July 12, 1989, the EPA issued a final rule under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) banning most asbestos containing products in the United States. In 1991, the rule was vacated and remanded by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. As a result, most of the original ban on the manufacture, importation, processing, or distribution in commerce for most of the asbestos containing product categories originally covered in the 1989 final rule was overturned. Only the bans on corrugated paper, rollboard, commercial paper, specialty paper, and flooring felt and any new uses of asbestos remained banned under the 1989 rule. Although most asbestos containing products can still legally be manufactured, imported, processed and distributed in the U.S., according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the production and use of asbestos has declined significantly (https://toxics.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/sections/202407697-Top-20-Asbestos-Questions). Therefore, the only way to know if a building is free of asbestos is to sample.

Do I need the Acknowledgment of Asbestos Assessment (AAA) if my scope of work includes no disturbance or removal of suspect materials?

Yes, in this case AQMD will verify that there is no sampling required for the scope of work being proposed and the AAA form will be issued stating such.

How do I get an Acknowledgment of Asbestos Assessment (AAA)?

Submit to AQMD a small set of plans to show AQMD the scope of work along with the asbestos sampling report, if required, from an AHERA certified consultant along with the lab results. The complete package from the consultant should include a clear floor plan/map showing where samples were taken, the consultants report, and lab results along with the chain of custody. Submit these items along with a signed application to AQMD at 1001 E. Ninth St, Suite B 171, Reno, NV 89512. You can do this before going to the building department as we will not keep your plans. The process should take about 10-15 minutes. We will accept payments Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. You can also submit the application online via Accela One using these instructions.

Why can’t I take my own samples?

Consultants are a third party, trained and certified to identify suspect materials and how much sampling is adequate for the scope of work. District regulations require that sampling be performed by an AHERA certified person.

Additional Information

Please visit our website at www.OurCleanAir.com for additional information including a link to the Asbestos Regulations (Section 030.107) and a list of licensed asbestos consultants and abatement contractors that work in the area. The Acknowledgement of Asbestos Assessment and NESHAP Notification forms are also available online. Both forms are processed over the counter and only take about 15 minutes.

Additional Questions? Contact the Air Quality Management Division of the Washoe County Health District at (775) 784-7200 or email us at aqmdpermitting@washoecounty.us.